The newsroom was already busy when Audrey Sawyer arrived. Morning sunlight filtered through the tall windows along the east wall, catching the glow of computer monitors that lined the long rows of desks. Market tickers crawled steadily across several large screens mounted near the ceiling, numbers shifting constantly as the trading day unfolded.
Phones rang intermittently. Editors moved between desks. Someone near the back of the room argued quietly about a headline.
Audrey set her bag beside her chair and switched on her computer. The familiar rhythm of the newsroom settled around her almost immediately. She skimmed through the overnight market reports first, then opened the internal message board where editors posted assignment updates.
A new message appeared near the top of the list. Pemberton Corporation — Strategic Development Briefing.
Audrey paused. She opened the document.
